The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-06-25

Roxy's countenance fell. "But, Hin
d." she pleaded, "Aunt Sally isn't
able to wash; and besides, she has
some where up the creek. and she won't
sleep night nor day until she gets tho
roots all dug and scraped, and the bark
stripped of and put sleeping in alco-
hol Hinda"-with sudden inspira-
tion-''do you think l could do the
washing?"
"You, Miss Roxy-oh, git out"
"But, Kinda, somebody must wash !"
at amt no work for young lady.
Miss Roxy" said Kinda, decisively.
Every thing is work for young
lady," pleaded Roxy, 'if it has got to
be done"
Kinda shook her head. "Yo'll break
yo' back. honey, an parboil yo' hands,
an"
"Oh, / don't mind all that, Kinda, If
only Aunt Sally would think the clothes
looked decent" urged Roxy. Tell
me how to do it, Hinda-there's dar-
ling"
"Well, honey. yo' put de clothes
asoak de night afore," unwillingly be-
| gan Kinda. sin plenty o bar soap
sliced up thin; an yo' bile 'em well.
an yo' doan forgit de blum, an mind.
yo' doan git de starch too stiff. an be
suah yo' rensh de clothes right smart,
an'-oh! dar goes de pain in my po'
ole bones agin, jes for all de world like
crooked lightnin'."
| So Roxy returned home not much
wiser than she went I'd give all my
algebra and geometry" sighed she,
"if only knew how to wash"
Joy Of joys! as she went past Squire
Honeywell's big cream-colored house
she saw colony of white garments,
veritable flags of truce to her troubled
mind, fluttering in the wind from line
in the back garden.
They're washing" said Roxy to
herself. with Frightening face.
"Now's the time for me to go in and
see how 1t is done"
She slipped insinuatingly in at the
open kitchen door, whence n cloud OF
white steam foated forth. Good
morning, Docia," she said to Miss The
odocia Honeywell. the 'Squire's
daughter. "Do you suppose your
grandmother would like a jar of my
wild plumsp They're nice color. and
keep their flavor beautifully. No,
don't stop your work" Gas Miss The.
odocia paused courteously, and began
to wipe her soapy arms on roller
towD; "go on, ju4t as if l WASN'T
here"
And she eagerly settled herself to
take note of the stout young woman's
every motion. But Miss Theodocia'
ideas Of politeness were great deal
too we'll defined to allow her to spend
her time in washing when there was
company.
you're very kind, I'm sure" said
she, "but the clothes can wait. dare
say granny would relish the plums, and
anyhow we've a city boarder thi.
month, an artist young gentleman, ant
any little luxury comes in handy fol
the table,
IAN artistP' wistfully repeated
Roxy.
"Yes," nodded Docia. "Such picture.
as he paints with squeeze or two ou
of his color-tubes, and dab of hi
brushes! l declare it seems like magic
You paint, too, Roxy Stephens, dom
youp'
"a little" confessed Roxy, thinking
guilty of the peach-blossom plaque
and the panels covered with abortiv'
attempts at autumn leaves that she hat
spoiled. "But paintings no use, Docia
For woman Imean. ida deal rathe
know how to-wash.
Docia Honeywell burst out laughing
what odd things you do say, Roxy!'
cried She "But when it comes to paint
ing being no use, l just wish you coul'
see the little bits of canvas and mill
board that our Mr.. Jefferys gets a hun
dred and fifty dollars for. A-hundre'
-and-fifty-dollars! Going. are youp'
for, since the business of washin,
was temporarily suspended, poo
Roxy's purpose was blighted. "Well
I'm sure it was very kind of you t.
think of the preserved plums, and wei
be very thankful for them, especiall
since mas citron all nodded. and tn
blackberries fermented, and blew tn
tops off the cans and broke the celia
windows. And, Roxy. if I'll stop il
some afternoon will you show me tina
new crochet stitchp-the one in she'll
and waves, you know, like Mrs. Deaco
, Dodd's shawl"
Roxy promised that she would, an
set forth, wondering to herself why
was that she lacked the moral courag
+ to ask Docia for instruction in the mys
| teries of the wash tub just as frank
as Docia had requested her assistanc
In unr@eling the complexities of tn
new crochet stitch.
II think mustb be dreadful goose,
I sighed Roxy ''But all the same, tina
D washing has got to be done, whethe
, well or ill. 1t can't be worse than thos
algebra problems in the second boob
t AS and equal 2, so must soap, waite
| and plenty of sunshine equal clea
I clothes.
r And so the next morning, when Aur
Sally had eaten the ham and egg
n which Roxy had now learned to fry i
J so appetizing a manner. and drank tn
q coffee which was clear as any amber
r she set forth on her daily task of roc
g and herb hunting, and Roxy carrie
= the basket of clothes out to the shor
of the brook, where mighty old ches
g nut-tree spread its dome of shade
G washed and wrung and rinsed thel
a until it was mercy that there wei
y any two threads left together. The
v she hung them out on the lines, whic
r she had stretched from tree to tire,
i skewering each article safely in il
g place with wooden pins, so that II
i frolicsome wind should lure it away.
y "And now" said Roxy, as with hea
k slightly on one side she viewed the r.
@ suit of her prowess, II think ~
# earned little rest" And drawing
e Franklin Square" novel from h,
g pocket Roxy sat down under the bi
t tree, with her sun-bonnet thrown bacl
d her loose curls tangled over her for
o head, and her round white arms sti